WANA (Apr 09) – In a strongly worded statement marking National Nuclear Technology Day, the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission reaffirmed the country’s right to peaceful nuclear energy and warned that any threat or interference in this domain will be met with a “serious, firm, and devastating” response.

 

Below is the full text of the commission’s statement:

 

We congratulate the great and proud nation of Iran on the arrival of the new year and commemorate April 8th (20th of Farvardin), National Nuclear Technology Day, by highlighting the following points:

 

1. According to Article IV of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), every member state has the inherent right to access peaceful nuclear technology.

 

2. Peaceful nuclear energy plays a vital role in numerous sectors:

 

  • Medical: Used in the production of specific radiopharmaceuticals with various half-lives, radiography, radiobiology, gamma scanning, and diagnosing internal infections and cancers such as colon, pancreas, and small intestine.
  • Agriculture: Helps in improving the genetic traits of crops such as wheat, rice, cotton, barley, and soy, and in reducing post-harvest losses caused by pests.
  • Veterinary and Livestock: Aids in diagnosing, controlling, preventing, and treating bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal diseases in animals and poultry through the use of radioisotopes and irradiation for breed improvement.
  • Water Resources Management: Assists in desalination, identifying underground water basins, directing surface and underground waters, and controlling water pollution.
  • Industrial Sectors: Used in process control, metal analysis, and pipeline leak detection in oil transmission lines.
  • Electricity Generation: Nuclear energy is also crucial in power production. For instance, Japan operates over 55 reactors, France over 59, and the U.S. more than 140. France generates about 80% of its electricity from nuclear reactors.

 

3. The nuclear industry is a foundational one that fosters progress across multiple fields, including nuclear physics, radiochemistry, nuclear medicine, uranium exploration and conversion, reactor construction, high-pressure technologies, electronics, material science, advanced mathematics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and more.

 

4. Given the significant contributions of nuclear technology to human well-being and scientific advancement, it is the clear and undeniable right of the Iranian people to benefit from all of its achievements.

 

5. As per its statute, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is obligated to assist member states in accessing peaceful nuclear advancements. However, the Agency has instead become a tool for hegemonic powers, consistently obstructing Iran’s access to peaceful nuclear benefits.

 

6. Instead of resorting to coercion and threats, arrogant powers should fulfill their promises by constructing nuclear power reactors in Iran in compensation for their multi-billion-dollar debts to the Iranian people. This would simultaneously settle their dues and remove baseless accusations regarding the nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.

 

7. The Director General of the IAEA must refrain from politicized and biased remarks and focus solely on his professional and legal duties as per international regulations.

 

8. We warn the enemies of the Iranian nation: any act of aggression or endangerment toward the peaceful nuclear industry of Iran will be met with a resolute, forceful, and devastating response.

 

9. We extend our gratitude to the dedicated experts of Iran’s nuclear industry. We urge them to continue their efforts in advancing this vital sector and assure them of the unwavering support of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament).”